Box-seal.



S. BARUCH.

BOX SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED .nmza. 1912.

1,041,724. Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

a I Inventor:

b mmZ Y MW UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

SAMUEL BARUCH, OF NEW YORK,.1\T. Y.

BOX-SEAL.

Specification of Letters, Patent.

Application filed J'anuary 23, 1912.

Patented Oct. 22,1912.

Serial No. 672,886..

ments for sealing boxes or shipping cases and more particularly to means for securing the ends of a wire encircling the box or shipping case.

My improved device may be used for securing the ends of wires used for other purposes and serves not only to hold the wire but also permits ofthe application of an identification mark or stamp which will prevent the undetected resealing of the box by a person opening the same. The device serves to draw the wire taut and alsoserves as a nail in securing the box together.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which my improved device is formed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a box showing the device partly in place. Fig. 4: is a'transverse section through a portion of a box showing the device in its final position and; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a box with the seal in place.

My device in its preferred form includes a body portion 10 and a head 11 integral and stamped from sheet metal. The head includes two flanges 12 extending outwardly from opposite edges of the body and these two flanges are bent out of the plane of the body and their free edges are brought toward each other so as to form a substantially cylindrical hollow chamber 13 as shown particularly in Fig. 1. The body portion below the head tapers to a point so that the device may be readily driven into the wood'of a box by pounding upon the head end. The body portion is so constructed that while it is being driven into the wood it will carry the ends or other portions of a wire. Preferably this wire is wrapped around the box so as to prevent the removal of any boards forming the wall of the box; but it is evident that the wire might be threaded through apertures in the box or might be applied in any other manner to prevent the opening of the box without the cutting or removing of the wire. For securing the ends of the wire, the body portion has openings, recesses or retainers for the wire and these may be of any suitable form. Preferably, the body has a hole 14 therethrough adjacent to the point and a notch or'recess- 15 between the hole 14 and the head.

My improved device may be used substantially as follows: A box 16 may be formed of wooden boards and may have a groove 17 encircling it and of a depth to receive a wire .18. The device is driven part way into the box adjacent the edge and in the groove and one end of the wire is extended through the opening 14 as illustrated 1 in Fig. 3. The device is then driven into a 1 slightly greater extent so as to securely hold the end of the wire'by carrying it into the wood and the wire" is then wrapped around thebox and stretched comparatively tight.

The second end of the wire is led in the notch or recess 15 and the device is then driven to its final position so that the outer end of the head is substantially flush with the outer surface of the box. This will draw both ends of the wire farther into the wood and serve to stretch the wire taut in the groove. The cylindrical head enters the wood leaving the chamber in the head below the surface of the wood. A small plug 19 of lead or other soft sealing material is driven into this chamber so as to completely fill it and have its outer surface also he flush. The sealing material in being driven in assumes the form of the interior of the chamher and presents an. outer surface to which may be applied any suitable identification mark of the shipper as for instance, his initials. A suitable die or punch may be used in making the identification mark. For retaining the plug of sealing material in place, the walls of the head are so'constructed that the plug cannot be withdrawn after assuming its final position. As shown, the two flanges 12 are each provided with an opening 20 and the lead or other sealing material in being driven in, will be forced out into these openings and thus retained in place. The plug of sealing material cannot be removed from the chamber without marring or destroying the identification mark and even though the entire device and the plug cation mark. Instead of using a lead plug, 7

a plug of sealing Wax or other suitable material may be used which will conform to the chamber in the head and permit of the ap plication of an identification mark to its outer surface.

Various changes may be made in the construction of my improved device within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined wire fastener and seal having a pointed body and a head, said body having a hole therethrough adjacent to the point end for receiving a wire and a notch between said head and said point and also serving to receive a wire, and said head being formed of two curved flanges integrally with said body and each having a hole therethrough and a sealing material within said head.

2. A combined wire fastener and seal having a pointed body and a head integral therewith, said body having means adjacent to the point end for carrying portions of a wire therewith upon the driving of the device into place and said head having a chamber adapted to receive a sealing material.

3. A combined wire fastener and seal having a pointed body portion and a head, said body portion having means for retaining in position portions of a wire and said head being hollow and having an opening in the Wall thereof and sealing material within said head and entering said opening.

4:. A combined wire fastener and seal having a pointed body and a head, said body having a hole therethrough adjacent to the point end for receiving a wire and a notch between said. head and said point and also serving to receive a wire and said head being formed of two curved flanges.

5. A combined wire fastener and seal having a pointed body and a head, said body having means for retaining in position portions of a wire, and said head being formed of two flanges integral with said body on opposite edges thereof and curved toward each other.

6. A device of the class described, including a body having means for retaining in position portions of a-wire and a hollow head for said body, said body and said head beingformed from a single piece of sheet metal and said head having a passage thereto in the direct-ion of the length of the body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL BARUOH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

